When Love for the Prophet Becomes Art (Art eBook)

8/13/2019 When Love for the Prophet Becomes Art (Art eBook)

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When love for the Prophet becomes art

UKSD Istanbul September 2011

When love for the Prophet becomes art9. Examples of Turkish art of Hilye-erif and Rosary13. When Love for the Prophet Becomes Art17. The Noble Hilye or Felicitous Hilye32. Hilyes from the Libraries & Museums Directorate of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality40. Hilyes from the Collection of Mehmet Cebi105. Beads of Remembrance: Notes on Prayer Beads...112. Rosaries from the Collection of Mehmet Cebi169. Biographies of the Calligraphers

9. Examples of Turkish art of Hilye-erif and RosaryTurul Tuna

As the Association of International Art and Culture, based in Istanbul, we place great importance onspreading different culture and arts in our country, as well as promoting Turkish arts and culture in othercountries and geographies through original examples. We believe that development of a multi-lateral culturalexchange is uniting for humanity rather than dividing.

In collaboration with the TurkishEmbassy in Vatican, The Association of International Art and Culture hasorganized the exhibition "Classic and contemporary examples of Turkish art Hilye-i erif and Tesbih" to be

held between 1 and 19 October 2011 in Rome. The aim of this exhibition is to arouse a serious andexpansive interest towards Turkish art and culture throughout the cultural centers in Europe.

Examples of original classical and contemporary calligraphy can be seen in this exhibition: 30 Hilyes, aspecial art of Islamic calligraphy describing some physical and spiritual attributes of Prophet Muhammad,five of which date back to Ottoman period, are exhibited along with some examples of tesbih, Islamic prayerbeads.

The art of Hilye, born in Istanbul in the seventeenth century, is currently going through a renaissance withoriginal interpretations by contemporary calligraphers. The Hilye is a popular form of classic calligraphic artwhich describes some physical and spiritual attributes of Prophet Mohammad. It is interesting to see howthe original works today reflect the modern concept of traditional abstract Turkish art. We also think thatexhibiting this collection of charming contemporary examples of classical Hilye, which in a sense can becompared to icons in European art, in Rome, a cultural center which has an important role in Westernpainting tradition, is meaningful.

In this exhibition, along with the examples of Hilyesfrom the collections of Mr. Mehmet ebi and IstanbulMetropolitan Municipality, there are classical and contemporary examples of Islamic prayer beads art,considered cultural objects, as well as an original Turkish art form. The art of rosary, coming straight fromthe religious practices, has developed greatly over time. We think that the prayer beads collection of Mehmetebi will arouse interest and awake special attention in Vatican as well.

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We wish to thank those who have allowed for this exhibition to take place in Palazzo della Cancelleria, oneof the most prestigious and historical places in Rome: Firstly, Turkish Ambassador to Vatican Prof. Dr.Kenan Grsoy, with whom we have collaborated from the day we have jointly defined the concept of theexhibition, for offering his endless help and patronage Mr. Mehmet ebi, unforgettable patron and collector

of contemporary Hilyeand tesbih Mr. Ramazan Minder, Director of Libraries and Museums of IstanbulMetropolitan Municipality, for having made available the classic examples of Hilyethrough his help andconcern and Turkish Airlines, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Avea for their contributions at various levels.

13. When Love for the Prophet Becomes Art

Mehmet Lfti Sen

Exhibition of Hilye-i erif (a special art of Islamic calligraphy describing some physical and spiritual attributesof Prophet Muhammad) and Tesbih (Islamic prayer beads).

Turkish calligraphy has had a pioneering role in its genre throughout history. The pieces of calligraphy doneby Turkish people with love and devotion towards God, confirm the saying "The Quran has been revealed inthe Hijaz, read in Egypt and written in Istanbul" all around the world . After the Quran, the Hilye-i erif is thebest example of this devotional art form. Hilyes are concrete representations of love towards the Prophet, inthe same way that in European paintings icons are sacred images.

According to historical sources, the first Hilye was created by master calligrapher Hafiz Osman in theseventeenth century, which then spread throughout the Islamic world and continues to do so to this day.Today there is a great interest and much variety in Hilye-i erif arts and Islamic prayer beads. Mehmet ebi,whose collection of recent works we can admire in this exhibition, has encouraged this renewed interest.

With his commitment to this art, he supports contemporary artists and encourages them to create neworiginal pieces.

It is the first time that an exhibition of Hilye-i erif takes place in Europe, beginning its journey in Rome.

This exhibition presents art lovers with a selection of masterpieces: classical and contemporary Hilye-i erifand Islamic prayer beads. In this way, the lines of this art which spring from the love for the Prophet -create an indestructible bridge between cultures. The catalog in your hands is made up of works, createdwith the goal of reaching a higher degree of beauty each time.With the hope that wherever it's present, it will convey this beauty.

17. The Noble Hilye or Felicitous Hilye

Irvin Cemil Schick

Among the most popular works in the Ottoman calligraphic tradition is the genre known as Hilye-i erife

(Noble Hilye) or Hilye-i Saadet(Felicitous Hilye). Thought to have been designed by Hafiz Osman Efendi1

1For more information about the Hilye, see M. Uur Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the SakipSabanci Collection, stanbul, trans. Mohamed Zakariya, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1998, pp. 34-37 M.Uur Derman, Trk Hat Sanatnn aheserleri[Masterpieces of Turkish Calligraphy], [Ankara]: Kltr Bakanl Yaynlar,1982, plates 18, 19, 42, 47 and 49 Faruk Takale and Hseyin Gndz, Hat Sanatnda Hilye-i erife: Hz. Muhammed'in

zellikleri/ Hilye-i erife in Calligraphic Art: Characteristics of the Prophet Muhammed, stanbul: Antik A. . KltrYaynlar, 2006. On Hfiz Osman Efendi, see Derman, Letters in Gold, pp. 72-74 M. Uur Derman, The Art of

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(1052-1110/1642-1698), a watershed in the history of calligraphy, these panels describe the physical andpersonal attributes of the Prophet Muhammad in a relatively fixed composition.

The word hilyah is Arabic and signifies ornament, countenance, image, or character. Therefore the term"Noble Hilye" may be interpreted as a description of the Prophet. Indeed, these panels are, in a certain

sense, portraits made up of words.

From top to bottom, the components of the panel are named bamakam(head station), gbek(belly),kuak(belt), and etek (skirt).

At the top of the panel is the Basmala, the phrase "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful."With slight variations, the central medallion contains the following text:

[It is related] from Ali (may God be pleased with him) that when he described the attributes of the Prophet(may prayers to God and peace be upon him), he said: He was not too tall, nor was he too short, he was of

medium height amongst the nation. His hair was not short and curly, nor was it lank, it would hang down inwaves. His face was not overly plump, nor was it fleshy, yet it was somewhat circular. His complexion wasrosy white. His eyes were large and black, and his eyelashes were long. He was large-boned andbroad-shouldered. His torso was hairless except for a thin line that stretched down his chest to his belly. Hishands and feet were rather large. When he walked, he would lean forward as if going down a slope. Whenhe looked at someone, he would turn his entire body towards him. Between his two shoulders was the Sealof Prophethood, and he was the last of the prophets.

This is the Caliph Alis description of the Prophet as recorded in Abu Isa Muhammad al-Tirmidhisal-Shamail al-Nabawiya wa al-Khasail al-Mustafawiya.

It is customary to place the names of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs at the four corners of the centralmedallion: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali. Often a prayer is written next to these names (such as "mayGod be pleased with him"). Sometimes their cognomens also appear (such as 'Umar al-Faruq and 'UthmanDhi-Nurayn).

Below the central medallion, in the area known as the belt, it is customary to write the following Qur'anicverse: "And we have only sent you as mercy to the worlds" (al-Anbiya21:107). Sometimes another versealso concerning the Prophet is substituted, such as "Indeed you stand on an exalted standard of character"(al-Qalam68:4). And sometimes a Hadithor Hadith Qudsimay appear in its place, such as "If it were not foryou, if it were not for you, I would not have created the heavens."

The last part of the Hilye contains the continuation of the Caliph Ali's description of the Prophet:

He was the most generous of men, the truest of people in his words, the most mild-mannered, and thenoblest in companionship. Those who first saw him would be awed, and those who knew him personallyloved him. Anyone who described him would say I never saw the like of him, either before or since.' MayGod bless him and grant him peace.

Calligraphy in the Islamic Heritage, trans. Mohamed Zakariya and Mohamed Asfour, stanbul: IRCICA. 1998, p. 221.

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After this would usually come the calligrapher's signature. Occasionally Hilyes were written in order toreceive a calligrapher's license (ijaza), that is, as a "graduation thesis." In such cases, the work would not besigned, but at the very bottom, in one or more cartouches, would be the teacher's or teachers' attestation.

Little is known about the invention of the Hilye. Some have claimed that the genre was inspired by Orthodox

Christian icons: although Muslims in Ottoman Istanbul would have been quite familiar with such works,drawing a picture of the Prophet would not have been tolerated within the Sunni tradition, and therefore textwould have been substituted for pictures.

According to Tim Stanley, while this is perfectly possible, a more likely source of inspiration for thesecalligraphic panels is the celebrated poem of the sixteenth-century Ottoman poet Hakn Mehmed Bey (d.

1015/1606) known as Hilye-i Hakn(the Hilye of Hakn). This poem is based upon the following saying,2

which is attributed to the Prophet:

Whoever sees my Hilyeafter me is as though he has seen me. And whoever is true to me, God will spare

him the fire of Hell, and he will not experience the trials of the grave, and he will not be driven naked on theDay of Judgment. Hakn's stanzas on this saying are as follows:

The important meaning of this Hadith is(God may He be exalted knows best)That having spoken many pure words,The Pride of the Universe [the Prophet] said: AftermeWhoever sees my pure HilyeWill be as though he has seen my beautiful

countenance.If he becomes passionate the more he sees it,In short, if he comes to love my beauty,If he desires to see my face,If the ecstasy of God grows in his heart,

Then he will be spared the fire of HellAnd will enter Heaven by the grace of God.Of the trials of the grave, that Godly manWill be free until the Day of Judgement.

And God will not drive him naked,And he will be among those on whom He hasmercy.

And if a mortal should cast a spell upon him,The Prophet says he will not be hurt.This account of many blessingsWas transmitted by [the Caliph] 'Ali himself.3

If Hafiz Osman did indeed draw his inspiration from the Hilye-i Hakn, then he created his Hilyenot only asa calligraphic panel, but also as a devotional object to be visited by believers, to occasion a nexus with theProphet, to clear the way for believers in the Afterlife. And this is indeed how they have been perceived,written, and visited for centuries.

While the general form of the Hilye is as described above, a variety of experiments were performedthroughout history. For example, the central medallion was sometimes shaped as a rhombus instead of a

2Tim Stanley, "From Text to Art Form in the Ottoman Hilye, to appear in Studies in Islamic Art and Architecture inHonor of Filiz aman. See also his "Sublimated Icons: The Hilye-i erifeas an Image of the Prophet." paper read at the21st Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies on "The Byzantine Eye: Word and Perception," University of Birmingham,March 21-24. 1987. On the poet Hakn Mehmed Bey (d. 1606), see EJ.W. Gibb, A History of Ottoman Poetry, Londra:Luzac & Co., 1900-1909, vol. 3, pp. 193-198, where the poet's name is given as Khqn also Bursal Mehmed ThirBey, Osmanl Mellifleri[Ottoman Authors], ed. A. Fikri Yavuz and smail zen, stanbul: Meral Yaymevi, 1972?-1975),vol. 2. pp. 171-172.

3[Hakn Mehmed Bey], Hilye-i Hakn, [stanbul: Tabhane-i mire], H. 1264 [1848], pp. 12-13.

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circle sometimes the text was written inside the name of the Prophet in some cases, the names of the fourRightly-Guided caliphs were replaced by the Prophet's names the names of the Prophet's companionswere occasionally written in small medallions and there are even cases where stanzas from the Hilye-iHaknor other poems in Ottoman were written below the Hilye.

Large-sized Hilyes by Kdi Asker Mustafa zzet Efendi, Fehmi Efendi, and Hasan Riza Efendi, certain Hilyesby Fehmi Efendi decorated with ghubariscript (microcalligraphy), others by Mustafa Rkim Efendi and eyh

Azz'r-Rf written in a variety of scriptsthese are all works that pushed the envelope and are nowconsidered priceless.

Likewise, many Hilyes in this exhibition differ from the traditional forms. Under the patronage andencouragement of Mehmet ebi, calligraphers from Turkey and other Muslim countries have addedelements like dotted exercises (mashq), pictorial calligraphies, inscriptions of ma sha Allah (forty-one times,as is the custom in Turkey), and the ninety-nine beautiful names of God ( al-asma al-husna), and usedunusual scripts like thulth(for the actual text), maqili, andjali diwani, writing the text on an inscribed

background, and in dimensions never before tried.

According to ebi, the determining characteristic of these works is that they take classical elements andorganize them in modern compositions, thus opening new doors for artists. And indeed, though the worksexhibited here contain the same text as the original Hilyes designed by Hfiz Osman Efendi, some differmarkedly in their forms.

Next to the classical thulth-naskhHilyes by Hasan elebi, Ferhad Kurlu, Javad Khuran, Karim Arbili, Fatihzkafa, and Bilal Sezer, and those by Sava evik, Ihsan Ahmedi, Habib Ramazanpur, MuhammadJavadzade, and Tahsin Kurt that are laid out in classical compositions but written in taliqscript, there are

others injali thulthand thulthby Ali Hsrevolu, Levent Karaduman, and Javad Khuran, injali diwanianddiwaniby Muhammad Jallul and Ashraf Karkuki, entirely injali diwaniby 'Adnan Karkuki, injali diwani, thulth,and naskhby Avni al-Naqqash, and injali thulth, thulth, and naskhby Said Abuzerolu though these differfrom classical practices, they do so only moderately. The text of Ahmed Falsafi's Hilye in taliqscript is in theTurkish language, but though this makes it interesting, it is still close to tradition in terms of form.

Abdullah Gllce's and Avni al-Naqqash's concentric circles, Ihsan Ahmedi's dual central medallions, andMuhammad Javadzade's square frame have moved away somewhat from the classical norm. Calligrapherswho have added texts to their Hilyes, such as Abdullah Gllce's use of the first two verses of Sura al-Fathand verse 128 of Sura al-Tawba, Grkan Pehlivan's use of the words Nurun 'ala Nurinfrom verse 35 of Sura

al-Nur, the addition of the Profession of Unity by Levend Karaduman and Grkan Pehlivan, or of theninety-nine beautiful names by Fevzi Gn, Grkan Pehlivan, and Said Abuzerolu are unusual, but herethey are in the good company of such great calligraphers as Mustafa Rkim Efendi and eyh Azz'r-Rf.Even Eyp Kuu's addition of the Arabic text "Muhammad is a harbinger, but he is not like other harbingershe is like a ruby among stones" is a welcome novelty that does not in any way violate the spirit of the Hilye.

On the other hand, some may wonder if Grkan Pehlivan's Kaaba constructed with countless copies of thename Allah injali naskh, his large three-dimensional letters, and his Basmala in the shape of a stork, EypKuu's mosque-shaped maqili inscription, Said Abuzerolu's stork-shaped Basmalas, Grkan Pehlivan'srepeated use of laand ma sha' Allah, Levent Karaduman's repeated huwas, and especially writing the text ofthe Hilya as a calligrapher's exercise (tamrin) in the case of Levent Karaduman and "blackened scribbles"

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(karalama, siyah mashq) in the case of Said Abuzerolu have not left behind the form of the Hilye to such anextent as to have moved into a different genre. After all, debates continued for a long time on the question ofwhether or not free verse was really poetry and as it was in the case of poetry, this is in fact a usefuldebate.

How far may one venture from past examples in the traditional arts, and when has one gone too far? Thisissue has elicited a fair amount of debate over the years, and no satisfactory answer has been given to date.

And in a way there is no answer, because this determination can only be made by time. With his bolddesigns and by giving maximum freedom to calligraphers, Mehmet ebi has placed a richly laid table beforethe future. Time will show which of these dishes will gain favor.

32. Hilyes from the Libraries & Museums Directorate of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

40. Hilyes from the Collection of Mehmet Cebi

105. Beads of Remembrance: Notes on Prayer Beads...

The phrase Subhanallahis said in praise of the Creator's absolute greatness, and means "God is exemptfrom any deficiencies or imperfections." It is the origin of the word for prayer beads, tesbihor misbaha. Suchbeads are known as Gebetskettein German and chapeletin French.

The phrases Subhanallah,Alhamdulillah, andAllahu Akbaroccur frequently in the Qur'an, and mostMuslims repeat them, thirty-three times each, after the five daily prayers. Beads on a string are often used to

count these phrases as they are repeated, and so we call such strings of beads tesbihor misbaha. TheProphet Muhammad (P. b. u. H) encouraged its use, saying "what a good way to remember." If these beadssymbolize the ninety-nine Beautiful Names (al-Asma al-Husna) of the Creator, if they take believers to Hislofty presence, then, as the Prophet of Islam said,

Intentional or not, large or small, secret or open, all sins, what came before them as well as what cameafter, shall be forgiven through those pure prayers fluttering upon the lips.

There are sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad about the tesbihor misbaha. It is related that heused date pits and small pebbles for keeping count, and that he admonished the women of Madina as

follows:

Make tasbih, tahlil, and taqdisyour practice, and count them with your fingers, for fingers will be called torender accounts.

Abu Hurayra, one of the Prophet's companions, related that he said:

After tasbih, dhikr, and prayer, all your sins will be forgiven, even if they are as numerous as foam in the sea.

Prayer beads are "counting tools" born of Man's desire to be close to the Creator. Made of every preciousmaterial, they consist of 33, 50, 99, 100, 108, 500, or even 1000 beads, depending on the religion. While

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worshipping, the act of moving the fingers along the beads sometimes turns into a kind of meditation,capturing the body and the mind. Thus, in a state of faithful contemplation, the dhikr of the tongue, the heart,and the soul begins.

The Prophet Muhammad is related to have prescribed the repeated utterance of the phrases Subhanallah,

Alhamdulillah, andAllahu Akbar, thirty-three times each. Initially it was the fingers' duty to keep count.

Somewhat later, still during the same period, date and olive pits, pebbles, and knotted ropes were used forthis purpose. Eventually, after the third or fourth century of Islam, earth was collected from holy places suchas Karbala, Jerusalem, and the Kaaba, moulded into round drops and pierced to make the first prayerbeads these were known as turbat. In addition, prayer beads were fashioned out of the ceramic or glassbeads of antique necklaces of Hittite, Urartian, Phoenician, Roman, or Byzantine origin.

The aesthetic development of prayer beads is thought to have begun in the fourteenth or fifteenth centuries.The habbs(beads) were likened to the congregation praying behind the prayer leader (imam) therefore,

they were strung around the imme, the piece that marks the beginning of the string of beads. And thus anartistic competition in the field of prayer beads was launched. Hard woods were carved and turned intovarious shapes. The use of such materials as bone, horn, teeth, amber, pearl, and mother-of pearl began inthe sixteenth century. Turning every beautiful thing in Islam into an artform, Ottoman stanbul became acenter for this art as well.

Next to the greatness achieved by calligraphy, illumination and miniature the lathes in the rosaries shops ofIstanbul started making masterpieces of "prayer beads" that were sent from Istanbul to sultan's palaces,private collections or simply to lovers of rosaries throughout the Islamic world.

It is said that the development of the art of making rosaries in Turkey goes back to the sixteenth century, butwe have no evidence prior to the seventeenth century. However, it is clear that in two centuries, themanufacture of rosaries turned from handicraft into a veritable form of art .

Any material hard enough to endure the lathe can be used in the making of prayer beads. A wide variety ofraw materials were once brought from all around the world, having different textures that give differentpleasurable sensations. Accordingly, they were sold for high prices. Let us note that animals are no longerkilled for this purpose the materials used are obtained from dead animals, and thus they are, in a way,immortalized.

Materials used to make prayer beads include amber, emerald, ruby, rock crystal, turquoise, ahmaksut(Afghan stone), agate, lapis lazuli, jade, ivory, mammoth tusk, walrus tusk, whalebone, tortoiseshellrhinoceros, buffalo, bull, and deer horn camel bone, ambergris, tiger claw, pearl, coral, mother-of-pearl, oltutai (jet), ebony, snakewood, sandalwood, agarwood, bloodwood, Brazilian rosewood, bead tree, ironwood,rosewood, and tamarind.

The race has now begun. The immesare harmoniously aligned, vested with rings and coins thousands ofgold or silver pins have been nailed into a single string of beads they are studded with rubies, jades, anddiamonds all kinds of inscriptions have been written onto the beads. In short, we are now living in the era of"illumination" of prayer beads.

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112. Rosaries from the Collection of Mehmet Cebi

169. Biographies of the Calligraphers

Master calligrapher Mehmed Rashid Efendi

Mehmed Rashid Efendi was born in Bursa in 1849. He carried out his studies at a Quranic school. He beganhis studies with the master calligrapher Saadeddin Efendi of Bursa. Starting in 1869, he would go every yearto Istanbul where he was able to study with Sefik Bey. In 1892 he was hired as a calligrapher by the ErknDiresi Harbiye. He died onApril 13th, 1925. Mehmed Efendi Rashid is known for his works written inthuluth, naskh and riq'a scripts.

Master calligrapher Mehmet Nazif

Master calligrapher Mehmet Nazif was born in 1846 in Rusuk. After moving to Istanbul he began to studycalligraphy first with Burdurlu Hafiz Vahdeti Efendi, and later with master calligrapher Sami Efendi.Employed by the cartography office of the military, he also gave calligraphy lessons. Mehmet Nazif, whodied in 1913, taught many important master calligraphers.

Master calligrapher Kazasker Mustafa Izzet

Master calligrapher and composer Mustafa Izzet Efendi was born in 1801 in Tosya. After his father's death,he moved to Istanbul where he attended the Fatih Quranic school and began studying calligraphy withKomurcuzade Hafiz Efendi. As Sultan Mahmut II liked his voice, he sent him to Enderun to complete hisstudies. There he studied for six years music, calligraphy, language and literature. Mustafa Izzet receivedhis calligraphy diploma from Yesarizade. Till 1852 he held several important positions in the Sultan's Palace.He is known for being the creator of the impressive medallions of Hagia Sophia, as well as for having writtenmore than two hundred Hilyes. The master calligrapher, author of works in naskh, thuluth, jali jali and thulutta'liq scripts, died in 1876 at the age of 75 years.

Abdullah Gllce

Born in 1980 in Erzurum, Abdullah Gllce graduated from Erzurum mam Hatip High School in 1999. Hemade the acquaintance of the calligrapher Mmtaz Durdu in Erzurum in 1995. After studying naskhscriptwith him for one and a half years, he continued his training via correspondence due to his master'srelocation to stanbul.Gllce moved to stanbul following his high school graduation and pursued his studies in naskhand thulthscripts with the calligrapher Hasan elebi. He obtained his license in May 2003. Presently, Gllce practicescalligraphy in stanbul.

Ahmad Al Umari

Born in 1985 in Iraq, Ahmed Al Umari started studying calligraphy in 1996 in Samarra with Abdul Aziz. Laterhe moved to Baghdad and began training in naskhscript with the calligrapher Nabil Al Sharifi. He continuedhis studies in naskhand thulthscripts with the calligrapher Abbas Al Baghdadi and obtained his license.

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Javad Khuran

Born in 1977 in Iran, Javad Khuran studied in thulthscript with the calligrapher Hakim Ghannam in Iranbetween 1998-2002. Later he came to stanbul to continue his training with the calligrapher Mehmed zay.

He completed his basic training in thulthscript in one year and advanced his studies injali thulthscript withzay. He obtained his license from zay in thulthscript in a ceremony held in November 2005 at IRCICA.

Khuran currently practices calligraphy in stanbul.

Awards1. 2004 Istanbul 6th International Calligraphy Competition, first prize in thulthstyle.2. 2004 Istanbul 6th International Calligraphy Competition, first prize injali thulthstyle.3. 2005 Antik A.. Hilye Competition, first prize injali-thulth, thulth-naskhstyle.4. 2005 Albaraka Turk International Calligraphy Competition, special prize.

5. 2005 Albaraka Turk International Calligraphy Competition, second prize in thulthstyle.

Amir Ahmad Falsafi

Born in 1959 in Tehran, Amir Ahmad Falsafi began studying calligraphy in 1965. He continued by takinglessons from master Sayed Hassan Mirkhani in 1976. He advanced his art working with master GhulamHossain Amirkhani in 1981. He has been teaching at the Iranian Society of Calligraphers for thirty years.Falsafi participated in over 250 group exhibitions in USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, India, Turkey, United

Arab Emirates, and China.

Falsafi has also held seven solo exhibitions. His published works include Divan-i Khvajah Shams al-DinMuhammad Hafiz Shiraziand Muraqqa-i Gulistan.

Eyb Kuu

Born in 1971 in Karkuk, Iraq, Eyb Kuu started studying calligraphy with Avni Al Naqqash in Karkuk in1994 and currently continues with the calligrapher Davut Bektas in Istanbul. He won second prize in

Albaraka Trk International Calligraphy Competition in thulthstyle.

Fevzi GnBorn in 1956 in Konya, Fevzi Gn began working on thulth-naskhscripts with Hseyin Kutlu in 1982 andobtained his license in 1993. He became an assistant professor in Seluk University's Department ofTurkish Islamic Arts in 1993, associate professor in the Department of Traditional Turkish Handicrafts, Chairof Arabic Script, and professor in the same department in 2007.

Gn served as deputy dean at Seluk University Faculty of Fine Arts between 2003-2005. He has beenthe head of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Traditional Turkish Arts since 2005, and the dean of theFaculty of Fine Arts since 2007.

Gn has participated in solo and group exhibitions both inside and outside Turkey and has published

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books and articles in his field.

Ferhat Kurlu

Born in 1976 in Fatsa, Ferhat Kurlu made the acquaintance of Muzaffer Ecevit when he was a sophomore at

the Ondokuz Mays University, Faculty of Religious Studies. He familiarized himself with arts and took hisfirst lessons of riq'ascript from Muzaffer Ecevit. In July 1996 he met master Hasan elebi and beganstudying in thulth-naskhstyle. Following four years of training, he obtained his license in a ceremony held inOctober 2000 at IRCICA. In 2001, Kurlu was appointed as an imamby the Directorate of Religious Affairs.

Grkan Pehlivan

Born in 1970 in Aksehir, Konya, Grkan Pehlivan completed his primary and secondary education inIstanbul. He worked as a designer and stylist in the leather apparel industry and for twenty years hedesigned his own models.

In 1999, Pehlivan met the calligrapher and marbling artist Fuat Baar and began studying calligraphy.

His teacher considered him talented enough that, after a short period of four months, he began to teach ashis teacher's assistant. He received his license from in 2003, and took part in many exhibitions across thecountry.

Grkan Pehlivan signs his works "Mahfi." He has taught calligraphy in several institutions, and has writtenthe internal inscriptions at the Mosque of Kambur Mustafa Paa, the foundational inscription of the BostanaliMosque in Kadrga, and other architectural inscriptions in various mosques, fountains, and mausolea. His

works are in private collections both within the country and abroad.

Habib Ramazanpur

Born in 1976 in the Gilan Province of Iran, Habib Ramazanpur started studying calligraphy with AbbasAhaveyn. He obtained his master's license from the Iranian Society of Calligraphers in 2009. Ramazanpurhas won prizes in numerous international competitions. He currently practices calligraphy in Tehran.

Hasan elebi

Born in 1937 in Erzurum, Hasan elebi served as imamin various mosques. He studied calligraphy withHalim zyazici, Hamit Ayta and Kemal Batanay as from 1964. He obtained his license in thulthand naskhfrom Hamit Ayta in 1975, and in taliqand riq'afrom Kemal Batanay in 1981.

elebi was entrusted with the task of writing the architectural inscriptions at the Mosque of AtatrkUniversity, Faculty of Religious Studies in Erzurum in 1977 and the Organization of the Islamic Conferencein Jeddah in 1981 as well as the restoration of the inscriptions at al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina in 1983. Heheld his first solo exhibition in 1982 at IRCICA, Istanbul. Later on came the exhibitions in Kuala Lumpur(Malaysia) in 1984, and in Amman in 1985, where he was invited by Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. In1987, he resided in Medina for a year to write the inscriptions in al-Masjid al-Quba. In 1992, he was invited to

Kuala Lumpur by the Islamic Cultural Center of Malaysia. He organized the "30 Years in Calligraphy"

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exhibition at IRCICA in 1994. elebi also participated in numerous group exhibitions of classical Turkishhandicrafts both inside and outside Turkey.

Hasan elebi has been teaching calligraphy since 1976 and has given licenses to a total of 52 students,domestic and foreign.

Ehsan Ahmadi

Born in 1980 in Mashhad, Iran, Ehsan Ahmadi graduated from the Polytechnic University Department ofAeronautics and Astronautics. He studied in nasta'liqscript with master Abbas Ahaveyn. He has won prizesin international competitions both inside and outside Iran. Presently, Ahmadi practices his art in Iran.

Karim Arbili

Born in 1963 in Arbil, Iraq, Karim Arbili graduated from the University of Baghdad, Faculty of Fine Arts,

Department of Ceramics. He began studying calligraphy in 1991. Arbili obtained his license in ta'liqscriptfrom Prof. Dr. Ali Alparslan, and thulthand naskhscripts from Hasan elebi. He was awarded honorablemention in naskhand riqa'styles at the 1993 International Calligraphy Competition organized by IRCICA,another honorable mention in naskhstyle in 1996, and won third prize in thulthstyle. Arbili also won anaward at the Baghdad Calligraphy and Illumination Festival in 1995.

Levent Karaduman

Born in 1978 in Bartn, Levent Karaduman moved to Istanbul after completing his primary education. Hestudied Islamic and Arabic sciences alongside his secondary education. He began examining the works of

old masters in 1992 and started studying the thulthand naskhscripts with the calligrapher and marblingartist Fuat Baar in 1995.

Karaduman obtained his license in 2003 and displayed his original artwork in exhibitions both inside andoutside Turkey. He gave calligraphy lessons at various institutions and organizations, and is studyingcalligraphy from the aesthetic viewpoint as a science of the line.

His works appear in many private collections. He has written numerous hilyesin many different forms, aswell as compositions, single pieces, and panels. He works in Istanbul, producing modern works of art in theclassical calligraphic tradition.

Muhammad Jalul

Born in 1957 in Aleppo, Syria, Muhammad Jalul began studying calligraphy with Muhammad Subari in1975-1978. He won first and second prizes in various competitions. He currently practices calligraphy inSyria.

Muhammad Javadzadeh

Born in 1971 in Tehran, Iran, Muhammad Javadzadeh started studying calligraphy with Abbas Ahaveyn. Heobtained his instructor's license from the Iranian Society of Calligraphers. He has been teaching there since

1996. Javadzadeh has won first prizes in every competition he has participated in. Currently, he continues

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working on his calligraphy in Tehran.

Nurullah zdem

Born in 1984 in Erzurum, Nurullah zdem began his calligraphic studies with his grandfather the

calligrapher evket zdem (1926-2003) and later on resumed with Bilal Sezer. He then began to study withDavud Bekta in 2004. zdem graduated from the Atatrk University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department ofPainting in 2005. He obtained his license in thulthand naskhstyles from Davud Bekta in September 2007.He won awards at various competitions and participated in group exhibitions both inside and outside Turkey.

zdem's works appear in many private collections and he continues to work in Istanbul.

Said Abuzerolu

Born in 1980 in the city of Ufa in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, Said Abuzerolu completed his

primary and secondary education in Ufa. He was accepted to Marmara University, Department of TurkishEducation in 2001 and moved to Istanbul. The same year, he started studying the thulth, naskhand riq'ascripts with Mumtaz Durdu. He continued with Hasan elebi starting in 2003, and obtained his license in thethulthand naskhscripts in 2004. Abuzerolu currently practices calligraphy in Istanbul.

Sava evik

Born in 1953 in Antalya, Sava evik received his master's degree from the Istanbul State Academy of FineArts, Department of Graphic Arts in 1976. The same year, he became a lecturer in the same department asthe assistant of professor Emin Barm. He began studying calligraphy in 1973 with Kemal Batanay in riq'a

and ta'liqscripts, and Hamit Aytac in thulthand naskhscripts. He also worked on the diwaniandjali diwanistyles with Prof. Ali Alparslan. He continues to produce classical calligraphic works as well as modern andoriginal works in his own style.

Tahsin Kurt

Tahsin Kurt began studying in ta'liqscript with Prof. Dr. Ali Alparslan in 1987 and thulthscript with thecalligrapher Hseyin Kutlu in 1994. He obtained his license in the thulthscript in 2001. He receivedhonorable mention in the ta'liqandjali ta'liqscripts at the 1997 International Calligraphy Competitionorganized by IRCICA, was presented with achievement awards at the 1999 and 2001 State Calligraphy

Competitions organized by the Ministry of Culture, and won first prize injali ta'liqscript in the First AlbarakaTurk Calligraphy Competition.

Turan Sevgili

Born in 1945 in Oltu, Erzurum, Turan Sevgili completed his primary and secondary education in orum. Hegraduated first from the Istanbul University, Faculty of Religious Studies in 1967 and later from the MimarSinan University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Textiles.

Sevgili started studying calligraphy with the late calligrapher Hamid Ayta in 1963 and obtained his licenses

for Kufi, thulth, naskh, ta'liq, diwaniandjali diwaniscripts.

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For some years, starting with the 1981-1982 academic year, he was a lecturer in calligraphy at the BursaFaculty of Religious Studies.

Turan Sevgili's works can be seen in numerous mosques and private collections. He also writes Turkish

inscriptions for invitation cards and custom orders.

Documents

When Love for the Prophet Becomes Art (Art eBook)